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NAVARRO COUNTY - Several hours of hard work, and a little help from Mother Nature, have helped to bring several fires in Corsicana and Navarro County under control Sunday evening.
Firefighters from throughout Navarro County were called into service Sunday as a series of fires from Corsicana to Navarro to Mildred to Angus to as far west as Dawson filled the skies over the county with thick, black smoke and taxed crews battling the blazes.
But good news in the form of some rains that moved through the county late Sunday afternoon helped to stop the spread of the last big fire burning at that late hour - one that had threatened the town of Navarro and spurred an evacuation of that Navarro County city.
“Thank God for rain,” said County Judge H.M. Davenport Jr., who had just completed an aerial tour of the fire damaged areas in Corsicana and Navarro. Davenport said the rains helped to keep the fires from spreading further and allowed firefighters to get the upper hand.
“It was really unique the way it happened,” he said of the afternoon storm. “It went right over exactly the same path (the fire) had been going.” A burning railroad trestle near the town of Navarro was continuing to burn, but had not yet collapsed, he said.
Davenport reported that as of 7:30 p.m. Sunday, the fires were “basically contained” with only hot spots being handled by fire crews on hand.
The cause of the fires that hit Sunday have yet to be determined, Davenport said, but added the fire near Navarro may have started near an electrical sub-station.
“We chased down the upper end of it where the wind would have blown it from that point south. That appears to be where it started,” he said. “But, it’s also the possibility it could have started on a little road there, too ... it could have been anything. I hate to speculate.”
Investigators will be looking at all the blazes that struck the area to try and determine the causes of the various blazes.
In addition to every volunteer fire department in the county joining the efforts of Corsicana’s fire department, crews from the Texas Forest Service helped to battle the blazes. Support for crews also came in the form of police officers, firefighters, Texas Department of Public Safety troopers, the American Red Cross, and other volunteers who helped provide water and relief to exhausted fire crews.
On the city’s east side, members of a church helped to pitch in and battle a blaze near South Seventh Street, some using garden hoses, others hauling buckets and pails of water to help douse the flames.
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Daily Sun photo/Ron Farmer Thick black smoke billows from a huge fire Sunday at the North Business 45 Industrial Park, one of nearly a dozen such wild fires in Navarro County Sunday.
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City, county fires now contained
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Griffin retires after three decades teaching
When the school bell rings today, it will signal for most the end of the school year and the beginning of summer vacation.
But for Dana Griffin, it will mark the end of his 30-year career teaching ag science at Corsicana High School, the only job he’s had since graduating from college.
Though he is excited about his new horizons, this day will most likely be bittersweet, as 30 years of animals, ag projects, and kids — it’s always been about the kids — draws to a close. -
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With a nearly balmy winter, local school districts faced the end of the year with so-called “snow days” still in their pockets. Corsicana schools will spend one of those bad weather days Monday, taking off Memorial Day.
The other free day was spent on April 9, the Monday after Easter.
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Church News
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Entertainment Beat
May 25
VFW Post 3366 invites all its members and guest out for an evening of karaoke with Country Sue’s Karaoke!! Canteen opens at 4 p.m. and karaoke starts at 8 p.m. until closing. Come early to get a good seat! Admission is free! Call (903) 872-3811 after 4 p.m. for more information. -
Sample Ballots, Polling Places for May 29 Election
Click this link to get sample ballots for the May 29 Primary Election
Early voting
Early voting will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays Monday thru Friday May 14 through May 18, and May 21 through May 25, 2012, in the basement of the Navarro County Courthouse, 300 W. Third Ave., Corsicana.
Early voting will be held on the weekend from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday May 19, and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, May 20, in the basement of the Navarro County Courthouse, 300 W. Third Ave., Corsicana. -
Local Beat
May 26
Union High Volunteer Fire Department will hold a fundraiser at 6 p.m. at the fire station on FM 638. The menu consists of fried chicken, macaroni salad, green beans, rolls, tea and dessert, and there will be entertainment following the meal. Tickets are $6 for adults and $3 for children. -
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Annot Walthall with the Navarro County Relay for Life received two additional donations Thursday totaling more than $3,000 at the offices of the Corsicana Daily Sun.
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Two Doors Down closing doors next week
After five years of serving up gourmet coffee, parties and unusual fare, Two Doors Down is closing June 8, according to owner Todd Jones.
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Walk Across Texas wraps up
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All it took for 312 Navarro County citizens this spring was a decent pair of walking shoes and 150 minutes of their time every week for eight weeks in the “Walk Across Texas” program sponsored by Texas AgriLife Extenstion. -
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